Film Reviews from the Summer 2008 Quarterly

San Francisco—Still Wild at Heart is a virtual case study of the coyote's natural range expansion across the national landscape, from San Francisco to Chicago and New York City. Through interviews with coyote experts, ecologists and researchers in this compelling film, we learn about the remarkable adaptability and intelligence of the coyote and the challenges and opportunities the animal's presence provides to both urban and rural communities.

AWI wildlife consultant Camilla Fox is featured in the film, discussing the problems with traditional coyote management and the important role coyotes play in a variety of ecosystems. Camilla also describes an innovative community-based, non-lethal livestock and predator protection program that she helped develop in her home county of Marin, Calif.—for which she received an AWI Christine Stevens Wildlife Award to analyze as part of her Master's thesis project (see story, page 11).

San Francisco—Still Wild at Heart entertains as it informs, providing valuable information and insights into the unfolding life history of the ever adaptable, resilient and clever coyote—America's iconic canine.

RED is a cautionary story about a man who seeks justice when his dog is killed by three teens. When the perpetrators lie, their parents wrongly protect them, and the man takes matters into his own hands—leading to tragic consequences. Producer Norman Dreyfuss says he hopes the film will encourage viewers to "have more compassion and to make the kinds of choices that enable them to look in the mirror and say they do what's right in life."

A ride in a horse-drawn carriage is on the itineraries of many New York City tourists, but if documentary filmmaker Donald Moss' film Blinders accomplishes his goal, many of them will soon think twice. In just the past two years, three fatal accidents—and many more that caused injuries—have occurred due to this inhumane and unsafe trade. Featuring hidden camera footage and interviews with carriage drivers, veterinarians, witnesses of accidents, activists, politicians, tourists, and residents who live near the horses, the documentary shows viewers the reality of this romanticized attraction.

Easily frightened, horses must wear "blinders" to shield their views of the dangerous traffic that surrounds them. At the end of the day, they are housed in cramped, sub-optimal facilities where they cannot graze. Further, retired horses are often "thanked" for their years of service by being sent to auctions that serve as a gateway to slaughterhouses across the US border. In addition to exposing these and other hidden facts about the industry, the film offers suggestions about what concerned viewers can do to help these horses. To learn more and to view the theatrical trailer, visit the Blinders homepage at the URL listed above.